help help help

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And the name you chose, awwwwh, never give up hope! Never!

I so sympathise with you, sounds like you need a new doctor and a second opinion. Have you looked for a pain management clinic at your local hospital or one near you? They can be very helpful. What about physio? Chiropractic? Have you looked at complementary therapies too? Do you have someone that can go to the appointments with you and demand some attention?

Chin up, sending you lots of good wishes and hope

Cassie xxxx

To lost all hope
reading your post you have just described "drop foot". I suffered a herniation of L4/L5 in December 07 which progressed and by January 08 I was admitted for emergency surgery as I had developed a drop foot. Progressive muscle weakness is a red flag for doctors so I am absolutely amazed that your GP has sent you on your way advising that he cannot do anything else for you.
I had a second herniation at the same disc height in November 08 which was finally removed in May of this year. If you improved after your second operation and have now got new symptons which include the drop foot then its likely you have another herniation at L4/L5. Drop foot indicates that the L5 nerve root is being crushed, you really need to go back to your gp and start making a lot of noise, you could end up with permenant nerve damage and a permenant disability if this is not sorted out. It has taken nearly two years for my nerve to heal and I am now having physio to sort out the wasted muscles in my left calf/shin and foot, its a long slow process and emotionally draining process.

Good luck

Bonnie10

hiya cassie,,,,yes my dr referred me to a pain clinic in my local hospital and my appointment was the other day, i have no idea what type of dr is that these type of clinics? but what he basicly said was that i need to get off the medication i am on and he is surprised i am not a zombie.. the pills are.. oxycodone, oxycontin, tramadol. co-codamol, amitriptyline,naproxen diazepam ,and that he agreed with my dr that i should get used to having some pain and i agreed!!! yes some pain but not at this level surely..i shiudlnt have to be in this much pain after 2 surgeries . although the terrible pain in my left leg is gne and that was the purpose of the surgeries the back pain and spasms are sometimes unbearable. but i couldnt function without these pills and some days i cant even walk to the bathroom, i dont want to be on pills either but i know that they only mask the pain and dont take it away i need the back problem sorted, i used to ahve physio just gentle rocking my knees side to side etc and i still do this at home. i think you are right that i should take someone with me to talk my case as i tend to get very emotional and cry like a baby with frustration,
thank you so much cassie xxx

hi bonnie,,,thanks for your reply,the drop foot symptoms i have had since before my 2nd surgery at the start of the year and it has not got any better at all, to the extent my toes hardly move when i am trying to put a sock on it is crazy to imagaine such a small task would be so irritating! at the follow up appointment after my 2nd surgery the surgeon said there was significicant nerve damage to my leg and foot and that was due to the prolapsed disc and although some people may say thats the way the cookie crumbles it still makes me wonder if it woudl still be the same if i had been listend to and took seriously and given an mri scan earlier rather than later ..buy hey ho! like yourself i ahve muscle wastage in my left leg although the muscles that spasm you could brfeak toffee off them lol on a serious note its very painfull when it spams really painful, i have some hope now that you have said your nerve has healed that is truly wonderful and thank you for your reply and i think another gp appointment armed with a family member is on the cards! m xx

2 discectomies later
hi everyone i have just joined the site and im amazed at how many of us all have similar problems!.. i had my first operation 3 years ago following an mri scan after months of horrific leg and back pain. i felt wonderful post op and got back to normalish pretty quick.with pain killers. then.. about 1 year later the same pains came back with a thud, but so much worse and the pain actually changed the way i walked i stooped when i walked because when i tried to stand straight, the pain radiated from my back all the way down my left leg in a straight line down to my heel. for a few months i couldnt stand tippy toes on my left foot and the left side of my left foot was numb, but that went away after a few months. my dr said oh lets leave it a few months and see how you go...well another year later i was still in agony and on a cocktail of pain pills i felt hopeless, i eventually convinced him after months of harrassing the man, to give me another mri scan which revealed a large prolapse to L4/L5 and i think s1 was mentioned? .and had another discectomy. that was in january of this year and the pain in my leg was almost gone after surgery and it was wonderful, but now my back pain has got worse and i can hardly lift my left toes up,i get terrible spasms in my calf muscle and the calf muscle always feels like it has been overworked and thigh muscle above the back of my knee area spasms badly also, my left leg is very weak and i sometimes catch my toes on the carpet etc , i think im lifting my foot but i am not totaly, also when i walk my left leg just slumps down not very gracefully i may add!while my right leg walks fine, im trying to describe the best i can and im sorry if it seems like mumble jumble ..ouchy! my dr said there is nothing else he can do for me and that i should try to get on with things but the pain is terrible lower back and i am getting stiffer and stiffer. i barely sleep about 3 hours a night i fall asleep easily because im so tired but when i do get in a comfy position and i move in my sleep, the pain and uncomfyness wakes me up and i need to move position.wow i got all that off my chest!!i dont know what else to do or where to turn i just feel as if i am not being listened to by the dr,s and i know thats why my nerve was damaged because i was left so long the last time.. thank you so much for allowing me to babble

m x

Hello,
Pains can be well treated by acu moxibition, I can arrange
points on fingers joints easy to find, to do this or tape crystals onto.

Hiya Lost_all_hope

I am sadened and angered by the treatment you have recieved so far, I really feel like slapping someone!

You are right, when you say that you should not be in this pain after all these procedures, take Cassie's advice, get support and demaned a second opinion and a review of you present condition. You will have to be strong and determined to challenge the Doctors, and with support you can do it, its the only way forward. You need to know whats going on.

You are also right about the amount of heavy drugs you are taking that are only masking the problems. Take care!

Best of luck and kind thoughts

SPINELF

You know what we need is one of us going with each of us to the appointments? I would fight like a tiger for someone else! Myself I get all tongue tied and forgetful lol.

Hiya Cassie.

You know what we need is one of us going with each of us to the appointments?

I baggsy being yours, by crikey, we would kick some serious 'butt' would'nt we Cassie!!

SPINELF